Ukraine is in the first phase of its long-awaited counteroffensive, which aims to reclaim territory occupied by Russian forces since the war began in February 2022. FRANCE 24’s Gwendoline Debono and Amar Al Hameedawi report from Blahodatne, a recaptured village in the Donetsk region.
Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal on Thursday warned that Kyiv's counteroffensive against invading Russian forces "will take time" but said he was "optimistic" about its success. Ukrainian forces’ slower than expected progress has also been confirmed by President Volodymyr Zelensky in an interview with the BBC.
Ukraine has nevertheless claimed that it has recaptured eight villages so far in the southern region of Zaporizhzhia and the eastern region of Donetsk.
To better grasp the evolving situation, FRANCE 24’s Gwendoline Debono and Amar Al Hameedawi travelled to the village of Blahodatne, which lies on the road to the port city of Mariupol. Recently recaptured from Russian forces by the Ukrainian military’s 68th brigade, Blahodatne has become one of the new fronts in the war.
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